Robert Harris - Archangel

Highly confidential

28 June 1953

To Central Committee, Comrade Malenkov

I hereby encl ose the deposition of the cross examination of prisoner A. N. Poskrebyshev, former assistant to J. V. Stalin, concerning his work as an anti Soviet spy. The investigation is continuing.

USSR Deputy Minister of State Security,

A. A. Yepishev

This had been the start of it - a couple of pages, in the middle of Poskrebyshev's interrogation, underscored in red ink almost half a century ago, by an agitated hand: Interrogator: Describe the demeanour of the General Secretary in the four years, 1949-53.

P oskrebyshev: The General Secretary became increasingly withdrawn and secretive. After 1951, he never left the Moscow district. His health deteriorated sharply, I should say from his 70th birthday. On several occasions I witnessed cerebral disturbances leading to blackouts, from which he quickly recovered. I told him: "Let me call the doctors, Comrade Stalin. You need a doctor." The General Secretary refused, stating that the 4th Main Administration of the Ministry of Health was under the control of Beria, and that while he would trust Beria to shoot a man, he would not trust him to cure one. Instead I prepared for the General Secretary herbal infusions.

Interrogator: Describe the effect of these health problems upon the General Secretary's conduct of his duties.

Poskrebyshev: Before the blackouts commenced, the General Secretary would sustain a workload of approximately two hundred documents each day. Afterwards, this number declined sharply and he ceased to see many of his colleagues. He made numerous writings of his own, to which I was not permitted access.

Interrogator: Describe the form of these private writings.

Poskreybshev: These private writings took various forms. In his final year, for example, he acquired a notebook.

Interrogator: Describe this notebook.

Poskrebyshev: This notebook was of an ordinary sort,

which might be bought in any stationers, with a black oilskin cover.

Interrogator: Which other persons knew of the existence of this notebook?

Poskrebyshev: The chief of his bodyguard, General Vlasik, knew of it. Beria also knew of it and asked me on several occasions to obtain a copy of it. This was not possible, even for me, as the General Secretary confined it to an office safe to which he alone possessed the key.

Interrogator: Speculate as to the contents of this notebook.

Poskrebyshev: I cannot speculate. I do not know.

Highly Confidential

30 June 1953

To USSR Deputy Minister of State Security, A. A.Yepishev

You are instructed to investigate the whereabouts of the personal writings of J. V. Stalin referred to by A. N.

Poskrebyshev as a matter of supreme urgency and using all appropriate measures.

Central Committee,

Malenkov

Cross-examination of prisoner Lieutenant-General N.S. Vlasik 1 July 1953 [Extract]

Interrogator: Describe the black notebook belonging to J. V. Stalin.

Viasik: I do not remember such a notebook.

Interrogator: Describe the black notebook belonging to J. V. Stalin.

Viasik: I remember now. I first became aware of this in December 1952. One day I saw this notebook on Comrade Stalin's desk. I asked Poskrebyshev what it contained, but Poskrebyshev could not tell me. Comrade Stalin saw me looking at it and asked me what I was doing. I replied that I was doing nothing, that my eye had merely fallen upon this notebook, but that I had not touched it. Comrade Stalin said: "You as well, Vlasik, after more than thirty years?" I was arrested the following morning and brought to the Lubyanka.

Interrogator: Describe the circumstances of your arrest.

Viasik: I was arrested by Beria, and subjected to numberless cruelties at his hands. Beria questioned me repeatedly about the notebook of Comrade Stalin. I was unable to tell him details. I know nothing further of this matter.

Statement of Lieutenant A. P. Titov, Kremlin Guard 6 July 1953 [Extract]

I was on duty in the leadership area of the Kremlin from 22:00 on 1 March 1953 until 06:00 the following day. At approximately 04:40, I encountered in the Passage of Heroes Comrade L. P. Beria and a second comrade whose identity is not known to me. Comrade Beria was carrying a small case or bag.

Interrogation of Lieutenant P. G. Rapava, NKVD 7 July 1953 [Extract]

Interrogator: Describe what happened following your departure from J. V. Stalin's dacha with the traitor

Beria.

Papaya: I drove Comrade Beria to his home.

Interrogator: Describe what happened following your departure from J. V. Stalin's dacha with the traitor Beria.

Papaya: I remember now. I drove Comrade Beria to the Kremlin to enable him to collect material from his office.

Interrogator: Describe what happened following your departure from J. V. Stalin's dacha with the traitor Beria.

Papaya: I have nothing to add to my previous statement.

Interrogator: Describe what happened following your departure from J. V. Stalin's dacha with the traitor Beria.

Papaya: I have nothing to add to my previous statement.

Interrogation of L. P Beria 8 July 1953 [Extract]

Interrogator: When did you first become aware of the personal notebook belonging to J. V. Stalin?

Beria: I refuse to answer any questions until I have been allowed to express myself before a full meeting of the Central Committee.

Interrogator: Both Vlasik and Poskrebyshev have confirmed your interest in this notebook. Beria.' The Central Committee is the proper forum in which all these matters should be addressed.

Interrogator: You do not deny your interest in this notebook.

Beria: The Central Committee is the proper forum.

Highly Confidential

30 November 1953

To USSR Deputy Minister of State Security, A. A. Yepishev ,

You are instructed to bring the investigation into the anti-Party criminal and traitor Beria to a rapid conclusion, and to move this matter to trial.

Central Committee, Malenkov, Khrushchev

Interrogation of L. P. Beria 2 December 1953 [Extract]

Interrogator: We know that you took possession of the notebook of J. V. Stalin, yet you continue to deny this matter. What was your interest in this notebook? Beria: End it.

Interrogator: What was your interest in this notebook? Beria: [The accused indicated by gesture his refusal to co-operate]

Highly confidential

23 December 1953

To Central Committee, Comrades Malenkov, Khrushchev

I beg to report that the sentence of death by shooting imposed on L. P. Beria was carried out today at 01:50.

T. R. Falin,

Procurator General

27 December 1953

Judgement of the People's Special Court in the case of Lieutenant P. G. Rapava: 15 years' penal servitude.

Suvorin couldn't bear the filth of his hands any longer. He wandered the empty corridor until he found a toilet with a sink where he could wash himself down. He was still in there, trying to get the last of the dust out from under his fingernails, when his mobile phone rang. In the silence of the Lubyanka it made him jump.